


And With Every Mile

by hyperstorms (starchase)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pining, Road Trip, Slow Build, Thundershield - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 12:44:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6704980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starchase/pseuds/hyperstorms
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Thor decide to go on a road trip together, a journey across the country to see what the world, and life, have to offer them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And With Every Mile

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this beast forever. Now it's finally done, and I hope it's as fun to read as it was to write!  
> My first thanks to sassgardianlass, for giving me the idea in the first place and encouraging me.  
> Also to Basched, for beta-ing, cheering me on, and being my thundershield buddy. And lastly to Sue, for also beta-ing this monster for me! I appreciate all your help with this, guys!

“Friend Steve!” came Thor's jovial, booming voice from across the room.  
  
Steve was so used to it by now that he didn't even jump, just smiled as he turned to look over at his friend.  
  
“Hey, Thor!” He was in one of the communal lounges, sitting quietly on the couch reading. He slipped a bookmark between the pages – Tony liked to make fun of him, but Steve still enjoyed the feeling of reading an actual book, fingers skimming across the words, the physical act of turning a page.

“I have a proposal for you,” Thor stated, looking excited.  
  
“Oh?” Steve said, warily – he was a little cautious about Thor's ideas, never being entirely sure what the Asgardian might come up with. He set his book aside, figuring this was going to be something that required his full attention.  
  
“We should go on a journey!” Thor declared, standing in front of Steve.  
  
“A...journey? What?”  
  
Nodding, Thor continued, “Yes, like those we have witnessed in some of the moving pictures we have watched together. When people choose to go on a quest across the country in a small vehicle together.”  
  
Steve frowned, trying to parse Thor's attempts at understanding the modern world into something that _he_ understood; which wasn't saying much, as Steve still didn't have too firm a grasp on the modern world himself yet.  
  
“Oh, you mean a road trip?” He said after a moment, and glanced up at Thor, who looked, for all the world, as if this was the best idea ever thought of. It was kind of cute, in a way.  
  
“Aye! A road trip. We should partake in one!”  
  
“I'm not so sure...” Steve began, not entirely sure what to say.  
  
Thor looked a little downcast, being met with less enthusiasm than his own. “I see I must convince you, good Captain. Well,” he said, moving to take a seat beside Steve on the couch. “We both would like to become better acquainted with the wonders Midgard has to offer, yes?”  
  
“Uh, yeah, sure.”  
  
Nodding, Thor continued, “Yes. And this would be a most excellent way to do this! Just you and I, journeying across this fine realm discovering many new things together! We can visit places we might otherwise never see, and have a truly mortal experience.”  
  
Steve mentally translated Thor's use of _mortal_ to mean _modern_ for himself. Still, it might not be such a bad idea, a bit of a vacation, a chance to get out. Actually, the more he thought about it, the less Steve could find any fault with the idea.  
  
Thor was watching him eagerly, trying to assess Steve's thinking process, and being watched so closely by such a piercing gaze made the back of Steve's neck feel a little warm.  
  
“Okay,” he said, trying to break that look. “Okay, we're certainly owed some vacation time. I don't see why not. Let's--” all his words were expelled from him, along with the rest of the breath in his body, as he found himself within the tight grip of Thor's arms.  
  
“Excellent! We shall have a most grand adventure!” Thor declared, his hug still attempting to squeeze the life from Steve.  
  
“Yeah,” he agreed weakly, when Thor finally released him. “Yeah, we will.” Though he found himself smiling then, despite the possibly sore ribs, because Thor was beaming as if he were the very sun itself, bestowing his benevolent warmth upon such mere mortals as Steve, and it was impossible not to smile in return when Thor looked as happy as that.  
  
  
–  
  
  
“What's going on?” Bruce asked as he walked into the kitchen, surprised at the sight before him: both Steve and Thor were leaning over a tablet together, sitting at the table.  
  
“The old guys are going on a road trip,” Tony said, head inside the fridge as he rooted around for some food.  
  
“Oh, really?” Bruce asked mildly. “Is that, um, safe?”  
  
“Don't worry,” Natasha spoke up, sitting across the table from Steve and Thor, both too engrossed at whatever they were looking at on the tablet to participate. “I'll check over their plans when they're done, make sure they don't get lost.”  
  
“Hey,” Steve glanced up, shooting a glare in Natasha's direction. “We're not children.”  
  
There was a loud laugh, over by the fridge. “You two are the oldest ones here. But oh, you're both so newly born into this world. Don't talk to strangers.” Tony stepped back from the fridge, closing the door behind him, a snack in hand.  
  
“Your jests are not amusing,” Thor proclaimed, shooting Tony a dark look. “Oh, Steve, look at this! This place is a forest composed of chainsaw totem poles. That sounds a most interesting place to visit, mark it down on our list.”  
  
Bruce and Natasha shared a look.  
  
“They'll have fun,” she said.  
  
  
–  
  
  
Steve had to admit that it felt good, once they'd set out and were on the road. It felt good to get away, and to leave all the ribbing and the teasing behind, just himself, Thor, and the open road ahead of them. Sometimes the teasing got to be a little much for Steve, especially when the jokes seemed to imply he was a child, or somehow inept – of which he was neither, thanks. And Thor was even older than Steve. Just because they were still adjusting to the modern world didn't mean they couldn't cope with a small road trip.

“These adventures are meant to be fun, yes?”  
  
Thor's voice seemed to pull Steve from a reverie he didn't realise he'd been in. He glanced over briefly. “Yeah, why?”  
  
“Well,” and Thor's voice was light, a teasing edge to it that Steve was beginning to become familiar with, “it is only that you look a little...angry. I fear you may break the wheel, with your grip on it there.”  
  
Steve glanced at his hands, and was surprised to see his knuckles were almost white. He might just break the steering wheel if he wasn't careful. He loosened his grip, tossed Thor a brief smile.  
  
“I was just thinking how nice it is to get away, actually,” he admitted.  
  
Thor hummed in agreement. “It will be good, I think, leaving the Tower for a journey other than a mission.”  
  
“You got that right. I can't remember the last time I went somewhere just for the sake of going, you know?”  
  
“Aye,” Thor agreed. He leant forward, fiddling with the buttons on the radio. “Do you know how to make this play music?” He asked, frowning.  
  
Steve laughed. “Your guess is as good as mine.”  
  
Eventually Thor managed to get some music playing, finding a station that seemed to be playing what was current music. Although that meant little to both Steve and Thor, the noise filled the car nicely between the lulls in conversation.  
  
They weren't going across the entire country, with Steve never knowing how much time they'd actually get before being called back for some mission, but the plan they'd devised together gave them at least a month before they'd be back at the Tower, with options to add more sights along the way if they wanted to, and had the time for it. Steve could be almost certain that they could go four weeks without being called back. Almost certain, but he'd packed his suit and shield, and Thor his hammer, just in case.  
  
Unless that happened, however, they were strictly off duty. And with every mile they made, Steve felt a little bit freer, a little bit of the usual weight on his shoulders start to crumble away. It was good.  
  
They hadn't been on the road for very long, a couple of hours, when they came to the first stop on their list, a bizarre castle in a sleepy town in Pennsylvania that Thor had insisted on visiting.  
  
Once they had arrived, they both stared up at the building, stunned. To Steve it was strange, to see this giant, Victorian concrete castle here. It seemed very out of place, as if someone had picked the entire thing up from some cold, old country in Europe, and dropped it here in small-town USA.  
  
“This is an example of Midgardian castles?” Thor asked, as they made their way inside. “It is large, though not as impressive as castles on Asgard.”  
  
Steve snorted to himself, looking over an information pamphlet about the museum. “I wouldn't use this place as a real example, Thor. According to this, the guy who designed this was a bit unusual.”  
  
As they soon discovered, walking through the giant, draughty, castle-museum. It was an unusual experience for the both of them; Steve had never seen anything like it before, and Thor didn't know what to make of most of the things they were looking at. It was pretty fascinating, though, and Steve's fingers itched for his pencils. He hoped he'd be able to hold the visuals of some of this in his mind until later.  
  
Neither of them realised that they'd managed to while away the entire afternoon looking around in fascination at all the oddities, so Steve was surprised when he looked at his watch and saw the time. “Hey, you wanna go grab something to eat before we hit the road again?”  
  
Thor turned from some old fashioned razors he was examining, and nodded. “Ah, yes, food would be most excellent! But I must take some photographs before we leave this wonderful place.”  
  
“Sure,” Steve nodded, already getting used to Thor's desire to document their entire trip. Tony had teased Thor about his scrap-booking, but Steve thought Thor's enthusiasm and enjoyment about their travelling was nice. So before they made their way to the car, Steve waited while Thor took an untold number of pictures with his phone of the castle, even resigning himself to letting Thor take one of the both of them, standing outside the fortress-like exterior, a smile on his face.  
  
In the car, on the way to find somewhere to eat, Thor's phone let out a friendly little tune. “Ah, Natasha says it looks like we're enjoying ourselves. That is nice of her.”  
  
Steve glanced over briefly to see Thor smiling down at his phone. There was still a part of him that found it strange, watching this man, this man from another planet – realm – whatever – tap away on a cellphone. As strange as he found it for himself still, at times.  
  
“You're sending her all your pictures or something?”  
  
“Some,” Thor said, slipping his phone away. “Ah, look, that place looks a fine establishment to eat at! I wonder who Big Bill is, and how large the steaks will actually be?”  
  
  
–  
  
  
Later that evening, after they'd eaten their fill (Big Bill's steaks had been satisfactorily large) and checked into their motel for the night, Steve was seated uncomfortably at the tiny table in their shared room. He was leaning over his sketchpad, pencil whispering across the paper as he tried to capture some of the sights that he had seen earlier. A slower process than just snapping a photograph, sure, but Steve enjoyed the physical act of drawing, of prying the thoughts from his head and putting them to paper, watching them slowly come to life as he drew.  
  
  
The door to the bathroom opened, and Steve looked up without thinking. Thor had just finished in the shower, clearly, his damp hair spread across his shoulders, a towel wrapped around his hips, and nothing else. Steve looked away, swallowing thickly.  
  
“Steve?”  
  
Belatedly Steve realised that Thor had been talking, and he'd missed every word of it. “Sorry, what was that?” He asked, careful not to look at Thor again, as the other man moved about the room.  
  
“I was merely commenting on how small the showering facility is here,” Thor said.  
  
After the luxury of living in Tony Stark's tower over time, and in spaces that could be modelled to accommodate their size, Steve had forgotten how...small, normal places could be. He'd forgotten how much space he could take up. And Thor was both taller and broader than Steve was, and accustomed to better standards, he realised suddenly. Thor was royalty, after all. Something Steve often forgot about when spending time with him.  
  
“Yeah, I don't think your average shower comes in a size for gods of thunder,” he joked.  
  
Thor laughed. “I am enjoying this truly Midgardian experience, however,” he declared.  
  
From the corner of his eye Steve could see as Thor began to remove his towel. Against his will, Steve could feel his cheeks flushing, as he stared resolutely down at his sketchpad. Thor was not a modest man, and, really, he had no need to be, Steve acknowledged. But he wasn't always prepared for it.  
  
A few moments later, and when Thor next spoke, his voice was suddenly much closer to Steve than he expected. “Ah, you are drawing.” Steve glanced up, and was relieved to see Thor was dressed now in a t-shirt and comfortable looking sweatpants. Part of him was less relieved by this, though.  
  
“You have a fine hand, Steve,” Thor said, leaning in closer. Strands of damp blond hair brushed against Steve's cheek. “A very fine hand indeed.”  
  
“Ah, thanks,” Steve said, feeling a little self-conscious now, but also pleased by the compliment. Setting his pencil aside, he closed his sketchpad and stood up. “I think I'll go brave this tiny shower for myself now.”  
  
Clapping a hand to Steve's shoulder, Thor rumbled, “good luck, my friend! When you are done, let us watch some television?”  
  
“Sure,” Steve agreed, smiling. Ten minutes later he discovered just how small this shower really was, and wondered how on earth Thor had even managed to fit in there. And then Steve tried, very hard, to stop thinking about Thor in the shower.  
  
  
–  
  
  
The next day found them on the road again for a short time, driving to the next town on their list. Thor was thoroughly enjoying himself so far, and they were only a few days into this vacation of theirs. It was grand, he thought, to explore and discover new places, with his good friend at his side. There was no company he would rather have, Thor thought, smiling fondly over at Steve, as the other man recounted some funny incident that had happened between himself, Tony and Clint before they'd left.  
  
No other company indeed.  
  
Their next stop was a place that claimed to have recreated America from the past, but in miniature. Thor was curious and confused by this concept, and it wasn't until they had bought their tickets and gone inside that it began to make sense to him. They found themselves in a single, large room, and spread before them was a beautiful, miniature representation of what Thor had been told was 'small-town America.' Well, the 'town' before him was indeed small, he had to agree.  
  
“A person made all of this?” He asked, leaning in to speak to Steve, as they slowly walked around the room.  
  
“Yeah, one guy started all this as a kid,” Steve said, staring in awe. “The attention to detail is incredible.”  
  
Thor looked over at Steve, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Is this... is this how the world was for you, before your time in the ice?”  
  
Steve reached out, pressing a button in front of him, making one of the model trains in front of him start moving across the miniature tracks, considering his answer.  
  
“Yes and no,” he said eventually, still staring at the tiny, perfect streets and houses in front of him. “It's pretty different from New York, this isn't a city. But this is close to what I remember life to look like, yeah.”  
  
Thor, shoulder brushing against Steve's as he stood beside him, said, “it is very different from the world of today, as I have seen so far.”  
  
“Yeah,” Steve agreed, voice quiet.  
  
Before they were finished looking, they were witness to an impressive light show; it seemed almost as if night had fallen as the lights dimmed across the miniature town, and the wall across from them lit up with pictures, as music played in the background. It gave Thor the impression of pride, pride of a people about their home, their nation. He found himself smiling, but when he looked across at Steve, face lit by the glow from the pictures, he saw a look on the other man's face that spoke of another emotion entirely, his jaw clenched tight and a watery shimmer to his blue eyes.  
  
Feeling his heart constrict, Thor reached out, his hand gripping Steve's arm in what he hoped was a comforting, steady way. Steve didn't look over, but Thor noticed some of the tightness in Steve's face smooth away.  
  
When the light show had finished, and 'day' once again seemed to light up the miniature town, Thor turned to Steve, his hand having dropped to curl lightly around his wrist. “Come, my friend, let us leave. You wished to get some ice cream, did you not?”

 “Ice cream sounds good,” Steve agreed, smiling over at Thor as they walked out, leaving the past behind.

 

-

 

Thor woke with a start. He sat up, instantly alert, eyes trying to pick out details in the darkness of the room, wondering what had woken him. It was late, that much he knew. A sound came, and now that he was awake, Thor knew what it was. The sound was coming from Steve, who seemed to be thrashing around in his bed, trapped in some kind of dream.

Pushing himself up from the bed – ignoring the creak it gave as he did so – Thor walked the few steps over to Steve's bed, eyes still straining in the darkness. “Steve,” he said. Another sound of distress came from the other man. “Steve!” Thor said again, this time reaching down to touch his arm.

Steve woke with a gasp, throwing Thor's hand from him, moving to stand, preparing to fight.

“Steve.” Thor spoke more firmly this time. “It is I. Thor. You were dreaming.”

Thor could see little of Steve's face, but he could hear how heavy he was breathing, was almost certain he could hear the pounding of Steve's racing heart in the silence.

“Thor?” Steve whispered after a long pause. Then, Thor felt a hand groping at him, moving along the length of his arm. “Sorry about that. I'm fine.”  
  
He could hear the long, shaky breath that Steve expelled from his body. He made a decision. “Come with me, Steve,” he said, his hand finding Steve's.

“Huh, where? It's the middle of the night.”

“Trust me,” Thor assured. “Just come.”

He led Steve out from their motel room, pausing to grab Steve's jacket, and walked until he found a spot they could sit down, not far from the motel. The night sky above them was that deep shade of darkness when it was truly late, and there was little sound but for the soft breeze and the occasional car in the distance. The air was warm around them.  
  
They sat close together, shoulders and thighs connecting, and Thor let the silence of the night soak over the both of them, hoping it was helping Steve begin to relax a little.

Eventually, Steve spoke, voice hushed, as if he dared not break the silence of the night around them. “As nice as this is, what are we doing out here?” He asked, turning slightly to glance at Thor.

Thor stared up at the sky, the moon a pale, waning slip. “When I was on Asgard again recently,” he began, his voice also uncharacteristically quiet, “I found myself often, when surrounded by my friends and family, looking to my side, to share in the laughter and the moment with you, and our companions.”

“Really?

When Thor glanced over, he noticed that Steve looked surprised but pleased by this news. He hid a smile, as he looked back to the stars spread across the night sky.

“I have become so accustomed to your company, that I expected you to be in every aspect of my life. There were many things I wished to share with you, and kept finding myself surprised that none of you were there with me.”

Steve laughed softly. “Is this your roundabout way of telling me you missed me?” There was a lightness to Steve's voice, the teasing edge that Thor enjoyed hearing. It made him smile.

When he turned to look at Steve, he did not look away this time. “Yes, I missed you,” he said easily. There was little light, so Thor could only wonder if colour was rising on Steve's cheeks, or if it were merely wishful thinking. “On that last journey to Asgard however, I realised something. A person can feel at home in more than one place. Can feel at home with people other than those you are accustomed to.”

It was Steve who looked away this time, turning his gaze upon the sky. He was quiet for a long time, only the sound of their steady breathing between them. Thor could feel the rise and fall of Steve's body in the arm that was pressed against his own. After a long while, Steve let out a breath. “Thanks, Thor.”

“I am sorry you are feeling sad, my friend. It is fine, to miss what was, as long as you do not ignore what is.”

Steve looked back at him, lips quirked in a small, crooked smile. “Thor's wise words of wisdom?”

Thor shrugged, a habit he was picking up from the Midgardians. “I don't claim to be wise, these are simply things I have learnt for myself.”

Steve nodded, falling quiet.

Eventually, Thor spoke up again. “If you would prefer, I can tell you stories instead? Then any words of wisdom within them will not be my own making.”

Steve laughed, more like a breath of air than an actual laugh, but the sound was sweet to Thor's ears just the same. “Sure. Let's go back to our room, though?”

Back in their motel room, and after they had both climbed into their beds and settled themselves, Thor, lying on his side facing Steve, began to speak.

“I shall tell you about _Surtr,_ the fire giant, and one of Asgard's greatest enemies. He hailed from Muspelheim, the realm of the fire demons.” Thor spoke, voice low, into the night, until he heard the steady breathing that signalled Steve had fallen asleep.

Smiling, Thor allowed himself to sleep also.

 

–

 

A state over some days later, and Steve had found himself pulled, rather enthusiastically, into some souvenir shop that had taken Thor's fancy. Of course, in every town they stopped at Thor had to find himself a postcard, to later pin up on the cork-board he had in his rooms back at the Tower, along with all the other postcards he'd picked up from other towns and cities. It was filling up faster these days, as Steve had taken to collecting them and bringing them back for Thor, whenever he had a mission elsewhere. He'd even had Natasha bring some back when she'd gone off to other countries. It was, Steve could admit to himself, pretty adorable, seeing the pleased smile on Thor's face every time he had a new place to add to his collection.

Now, it seemed, this enthusiasm had travelled to include souvenirs.

“Steve, look at this,” Thor called Steve over to where he was standing, in front of a shelf full of mugs and other normal items all with the slogan _I heart Ohio_ splashed across them. “This is very strange,” he said, turning to Steve, a slight frown creasing his face. “I am not entirely sure why a pencil claiming to heart Ohio is any better than a regular one, for instance,” he said, “but I like it.”

Steve couldn't help but laugh. “Thor, buddy, it's one of those things you either get or you don't. Most people buy souvenirs as a fun way to remember a trip, though. It helps if it's something you might actually use as well.”

Thor nodded, looking very earnest, and, again Steve could admit it to himself (just about), kind of adorable, as if he was considering the point of cheap souvenirs very seriously. “And is it customary to buy such gifts for your friends?” he asked, looking over at Steve. “As you come back with gifts of the posting cards for me.”

Steve's ears felt a little warm. “Uh, well. It's not expected,” he began, thinking to himself that it wasn't quite the same, his picking up postcards for Thor when he was away. “But you can. It's a nice thing to do.” And such a _Thor_ thing to do, Steve thought to himself.

Thor looked thoughtful for a moment, before grinning. It was infectious. “Then I shall start by purchasing one of these fine mugs for Doctor Banner!” Thor declared, picking one up.

“I'm sure he'll love it,” Steve said, smiling to himself. As Thor went to make his purchase, Steve wondered around the store, looking but with no real interest in buying anything for himself. It was funny to Steve, the things people would buy just because a name or a picture was printed onto it.

“Steve!” Thor's loud voice jolted Steve from his reverie, as the other man came up to him excitedly, holding a plastic bag with his gifts. “Look at what I have just purchased,” he said, digging into the bag and a moment later unfolding a t-shirt that proclaimed _I heart Ohio_ in large, bold print. “I purchased us one each, as you did not buy yourself anything. I'm not sure they will fit, the largest size available is not that large, truthfully, but we shall see!” He put the shirt back into the bag and, grinning, clapped Steve on the shoulder.

Steve shook his head, bemused by the entire thing.

Later that night, when they were settling into their room after their day out, Steve tried the t-shirt on. The size really wasn't quite large enough for him, as the shirt stretched across his chest and shoulders. Thor had worse troubles though, when he tried to put his own on, it ripped as soon as he'd put an arm through one of the sleeves.

“Ah, well, at least I still have my posting cards as memories of this place,” Thor said, looking sadly at his now one-sleeved shirt. To Steve, Thor looked, for all the world, like a puppy that had just been told off. He tried hard to hide his smile.

 

–

 

“So, you kinda look like Thor.”

Steve looked up from his plate of food, across the table at Thor, his lips twitched into a teasing smile. They were sitting in a diner, waiting for their food, when a child had run up to Thor to excitedly tell him that he kind of looked like that guy with the hammer, before proclaiming that cool, and running back to his mother, who'd been standing at the counter and watching. She'd looked embarrassed, and mouthed Steve a silent _sorry_ , and Steve had just smiled in return. It was cute, and if that was the only kind of recognition they'd receive for the whole trip, that was a bonus.

Thor made a face at Steve, pretending to look downcast. “Perhaps I am not handsome enough to look exactly like Thor,” he joked.

Steve, feeling the back of his neck begin to flush, looked at Thor and said, “No, that's definitely not it.” There was a different tone underlying his voice now.

Thor seemed to sit up a little straighter, seemed to lean in across the table a touch more. There was a glint to his eye, Steve thought, as their gazes met.

“Oh?” Thor asked, one eyebrow raised slightly. “You think me handsome, then?”

Steve resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Who doesn't?” It was pretty damn obvious to everyone that Thor was a good looking guy.

“But I am asking you,” Thor pointed out.

Steve's hand had been resting on the table, and a glance down showed that Thor's was too. Steve's fingers twitched with an urge to bridge that distance. “Why ask a question you already know the answer to?” he countered.

“Because I would like to hear you say it.” There was a definite twinkle in Thor's eyes now.

Steve smiled a little and opened his mouth to counter further, when the voice of one of the waitresses interrupted him. “Wanna refill?” she asked, gesturing at Thor's empty mug.

“Ah, yes! Thank you,” he said, smiling up at her.

The waitress filled his mug with more coffee. She was a little grizzled around the edges, a bored expression on her face, but seemed to perk up at Thor's smile. “You're welcome,” she said, before shuffling off to the next table.

“She liked you,” Steve said, picking up his half eaten sandwich.

“She must think me handsome, then!” Thor said with a laugh, returning to his own food now that their moment was broken.

Steve bit at the inside of his cheek to stop himself from speaking. _'So do I,'_ he thought.

 

-

 

“There! That is much improved now,” Thor was saying, looking down at his handiwork, which simply consisted of pushing his and Steve's small beds together. It was similar now to how they watched movies and television back at the tower, seated comfortably on a couch together, sharing snacks.

“Much better,” Steve agreed, bringing the snacks over as he joined Thor on their now combined beds. Once they were as comfortable as they were going to get, pillows propped up against the wall behind them, a bag of chips open between them (on top of the blankets, Steve did not want crumbs in his bed) they turned their attention to the TV.

“What's on?” Steve asked, as Thor had already been going through the stations as he'd fiddled with the blankets on the bed.

“I believe this television show is about the shores of Jersey?” Thor said, nodding towards the TV screen. “Although so far I see nothing to do with the sea or ships.”  
  
Steve stared, a puzzled frown on his face as he watched two of the men begin to argue about their hair. When he glanced over, Thor looked equally confused.

They usually enjoyed watching regular TV together, as well as all the movies they'd been told to catch up on (they each had a list of recommendations given to them by people); it was a good way for the both of them to try to better understand the current day and age they were in. But some shows just went beyond Steve, so he could hardly imagine how they must appear to Thor.

“Oh,” Steve said after a moment, as the fight about hair devolved into wordless shouting now; or if they were words, Steve could only understand half of them. “I think this is one of those... real TV shows?”

Thor turned to look at Steve, still confused. “Real TV? Such as the news?”

Steve shook his head. “Nah. This certainly isn't news,” he joked, pointing at the antics on the screen. Thor chuckled. “Tony explained it to me once. The people in the show aren't acting, the camera's just follow them around during their regular life.”

Thor looked stumped. “Huh. That is very strange,” he declared. Steve couldn't agree more, it didn't make much sense to him, either. “Perhaps there is something else playing that we may watch instead?” he asked.

“Sure.” Steve, without looking, reached out across the beds, hand searching for the remote. He stopped, startled, when his fingers met warm, solid skin, instead. “Sorry,” he murmured, eyes flicking up to Thor's face. Thor didn't look as if _he_ was sorry, Steve thought, his lips parted slightly as he breathed.

Steve's fingers twitched, and Thor moved his hand away. “It is of no matter,” he said, handing Steve the remote control.

The breath seemed to deflate inside Steve then, like a balloon running out of air, and he cursed the unwanted spasm for the loss of the moment.  
  
The bag of chips between them rustled loudly as Thor seemed to delve in with vigour, and Steve turned his attention back to the TV, flicking through the channels now in search of something they could enjoy.

“Ah!” Thor said, suddenly sounding excited, “This one is about witches! I find it quite fascinating, although they are very different from our _völur_ _.”_

Steve had been about to ask if there were really witches on Asgard, but decided that maybe that was a question best saved for later, as no doubt Thor would have an in depth explanation and countless stories to regale Steve with, if he asked. He'd also refrained from asking because, in all honesty, he found himself a little (hopelessly) distracted by the smile on Thor's face. So excited and pleased by the smallest of things, it seemed; it never ceased to make Steve wonder.

“Alright, then,” he agreed easily. “Charmed it is.” It was less easy though for Steve to tear his eyes away from Thor and watch the TV instead; Thor was infinitely more interesting to watch.

 

–

 

“So, uh, I hope you don't mind me asking,” Steve began, glancing briefly over at Thor, “I know we don't really talk about this kind of thing, but I was wondering...”

“You may ask me anything you wish,” Thor answered. “You are my friend.”

Though Steve's gaze was focused back on the road in front of them, he didn't have to be looking at Thor to know the other man was smiling over at him, he could just feel it, the warmth radiating towards him.

They were driving down a long, empty stretch of road, music quietly filling the spaces between their conversations, as they headed towards the next state, and their next destination. There was only farmland and country filling the scenery to either side of the road, and to Steve it felt a little as if his world had narrowed down to only Thor, himself, and the ribbon of black tarmac they were following.

He swallowed, feeling a little strange, but he knew Thor wouldn't mind.

“I was just wondering what happened between you and Jane?” He glanced over quickly again and felt his stomach drop seeing the way Thor's jaw tightened a little, the fond smile having slipped from his face. “Never mind, forget I asked, it's none of my business,” Steve said quickly, trying to cover his mistake.

Thor shook his head. “I do not mind,” he said. “Jane is a wonderful person, and I love her dearly,” Thor began, and Steve's hands tightened their grip on the wheel as he felt his stomach drop further. “But a relationship was not feasible. Between my duties on Asgard, and our duties together as Avengers, there was little enough time to devote to Jane, and I believe that she deserves better. It was a decision we both came to together.  
  
“I see,” Steve said, searching for anything else to say, anything to help catch that wistful tilt to Thor's voice as he spoke. “I'm sorry to hear that.” He cringed inwardly, feeling as if the words sounded as hollow as he imagined they did.

“You need not be sorry. Not all things may work out, it is a part of life. We have decided to remain good friends, at least.”

“Oh, that's good. She's nice.” Steve had never met Jane, but he'd heard plenty about her from Thor that it felt as if he had.

“Aye, that she is,” Thor agreed.

They ell silent for a time, the sound of the latest, sugary pop song floating up between them on the radio filling the space. It almost made Steve's teeth ache with the sweetness.

It seemed Thor had the same thoughts, as a moment later he had switched stations, guitars now filling the car as some classic rock song began, an ethereal voice claiming that they could all be heroes for a day.

“Do not be sad on my account, Steve,” Thor spoke after some time. The sudden sound of his deep voice had almost been enough to make Steve jump, as he'd been lulled into his own thoughts. “I am quite fine emotionally, you need not worry. This was some time ago now.”

“Yeah?” Steve looked over quickly, and was relieved to see Thor's face had softened.

The sun was on Thor's side, and it seemed to make the blond of his hair shine like gold around him; a god indeed, Steve found himself thinking. His fingers itched to try and capture this image on paper, even though Steve knew he never could, really, capture Thor's essence between lead and paper. There was too much of him, too much _to_ him. He would just have to try to hold this image in his mind, like a photograph. “You never really talk about these things. You know, when something's bothering you.”

Thor had turned his head, his gaze meeting Steve's, and Steve looked quickly back to the road.

“I just mean, you can, if you want. Talk to me about things that bother you.” He was aware he was babbling now, and pursed his lips, hoping to stem the flood of awkward words from his mouth.

“Then I shall,” Thor said simply. “When I have need to talk of such things. You can do likewise, whenever you have need to.”

Steve couldn't help but let a soft laugh slip out. He still had to parse Thor's pattern of speech into something more recognisable half the time, but he got the meaning just fine. “Thanks, buddy.”

Again, Steve could feel instead of see, the smile Thor was aiming in his direction, as warm and soft as the sunlight itself, filtering in through the car windows. His heart felt light inside his chest.

 

–

 

They were at a place called lake Wawasee, in northern Indiana, and both Steve and Thor were just marvelling at the sight before them. It definitely was a 'must-see' spot, as they'd been told, and today was the perfect day to see it, it seemed. The sky was a vivid blue splashed above them, the sun warm and filtering down through a thin haze of clouds, and a soft breeze drifted across the water's surface. Steve found himself feeling peaceful, as they looked across the large expanse of water in front of them.

Shielding his eyes, Steve looked behind him at Thor, who had walked further away and was now eagerly taking pictures of the lake with his phone. He smiled fondly to himself; half the fun for Steve was, quite honestly, watching Thor enjoy himself.

Seemingly done, Thor came striding back towards Steve, a wide grin spread across his face. “Steve!” he called out. “Come and take a photograph with me!” A moment later and Thor was beside him, an arm looping easily around Steve's shoulder, pulling him close, heads leaning together to fit them both in, the lake spread out in the background behind them.

“Smile!” Thor instructed, the grin still on his own face, and Steve had one to match, as Thor held the phone in front of them both, taking several pictures. The weight of Thor's arm was still warm around Steve's shoulders, as Thor offered the phone to him a moment later, showing Steve the photo's.

“Oh God, I look so dorky,” Steve said, embarrassed at the size of his smile. Of course, anyone would look like a dork, standing next to a guy like Thor, who even made a goofy smile look ridiculously attractive.

“Nonsense,” Thor said, giving Steve's shoulder a squeeze. “You are a most attractive man. You look fine.”

Steve felt the back of his neck warm, and he decided not to tell Thor that he only felt a little awkward; it was nice to hear his looks were appreciated, in all honesty, especially since Steve wasn't sure Thor knew what 'dorky' meant, and whether or not Steve actually did look it.

“Thanks,” he said, instead of any of the other thoughts running through his mind. Thor beamed at him. A moment later, the solid weight of his arm was gone from around Steve's shoulders.

“You know, sometimes I kind of wish I could fly,” Steve said, jokingly, nudging Thor's arm with his own.

“Hm? Why is that?” Thor asked, turning back towards Steve; he'd been taking more pictures with his phone.

“I saw pictures of this place from above, it looked really stunning.”

Thor looked thoughtful for a moment. “I could show you, if you wish?”

Steve looked up, surprised. “What?”

“With _Mj_ _ö_ _lnir_ , if I hold on to you, I can take us high enough to view the entire lake.”

Steve hadn't expected the offer, hadn't even considered it. It was just a silly little thought he'd had and spoken out loud. He opened his mouth to protest, but Thor was already speaking again.

“Of course, not in broad daylight, that may draw unnecessary attention upon us.” There was a smile tugging at the corners of Thor's mouth as he looked at Steve, and it was as if he'd known exactly what Steve was thinking. It was a little uncanny, had they spent so much time together that Thor already knew what arguments Steve might draw up? “We can come back at dusk? You will still be able to see the view, and the darkening sky will shield us some.”

He didn't know what to say, in all honesty. Though a part of Steve was itching to agree to it. “We'll see,” he said eventually, evading the question.  
  
Thor just laughed, before reaching towards Steve, a hand curling around his wrist, coaxing him along. “Come and take some more photographs with me, at least.”

They did return sometime later, however, whilst there was still enough light to see by. Thor stopped them some way away from the lake, there was no one else around them, and hopefully they were far enough away from any lingering tourists.

“It will be fine,” Thor assured, turning to Steve, a hand on his shoulder, his hammer held loosely in his other hand. “I will show you what you wish to see.”

At the force of Thor's smile, Steve couldn't help but smile back. “Okay.” He looked between them, wondering to himself the easiest way to go about this, as there seemed to be no way to do it that wasn't a little awkward.

Letting out a soft breath, Thor turned Steve around, putting them back to chest, his free arm winding around Steve's waist.

“You've done this before,” Steve accused. When he turned his head, Thor's face was so much closer than he anticipated; Steve could have counted his eyelashes, if he'd wanted to.

“Well, what is the point in being the god of thunder, if I do not use my skills to my advantage at times?”

Steve had half an urge to swat that smug little grin from Thor's face, but before he could do or say anything, Thor swung his hammer, and lifted them both off into the air. It was faster than Steve was prepared for, as they raced upwards behind _Mj_ _ö_ _lnir_. Their flight didn't last very long, however, and soon they were still, floating in the air, Thor still spinning the hammer beside them; to keep them in place, Steve assumed, but he didn't give much thought to it. He was too busy trying to soak in the view before them, take it all in, stamp it into his memories for later. The greenery of the grass and the trees enfolded the lake, the water a darker shade of blue now, to match the dusky colours of the sky above, and here and there amongst the grass were little pools of water, as if forgotten and left behind.

“Are you pleased?” Thor asked, and his voice was close to Steve's ear, breath warm against Steve's skin, eliciting a shiver from him.

“It's beautiful,” Steve said, aware that he sounded awed, but unable to do anything about it. He was almost certain he could feel the curve of Thor's smile against his skin.

“Look for as long as you wish.”

Steve did, just drinking in the sight before them, as they floated there in peaceful silence. Before long, night was beginning to fall around them, and the shadows hid the lake from view.

“I guess we better go now?” Steve said.

Moments later, Thor had set them both back on solid ground. Steve's heart was still racing inside his chest, and he only realised then that he'd been clutching the arm around his waist rather hard. He loosened his grip, but didn't move away yet; Thor's chest was a warm, steady pressure against his back, and for the moment Steve didn't want to be anywhere else.

“Thank you,” he said eventually, and started to move away from Thor. As Steve moved his arm, Thor reached out, his fingers taking hold of Steve's, and spun him around until they faced each other. Steve blinked up at him, into those twinkling blue eyes.

Without a word, Thor raised Steve's hand, a slight smile on his face before he pressed his lips to the back of Steve's hand. Despite himself, Steve felt a shudder work its way down his spine. Butterflies awoke within him.

He tried, however, to remain steady. “Is this part of how you woo the ladies?” Steve asked dryly.

Thor's grin widened. “Is it working?”

Steve couldn't help himself. “You'll know if it is.”

Thor raised an eyebrow as he straightened up, releasing Steve's hand – he instantly missed the touch.

“Challenge accepted,” he said, and the look he gave Steve went straight through him, made his heart pound and his knees feel momentarily weak. He was just getting control of his traitorous body, when Thor spoke up again. “Ah, look at that most magnificent bird,” he exclaimed, pointing at the animal that had just taken to the air from a nearby tree.

Steve's head reeled; was Thor purposely trying to unsettle him? Judging by the smile thrown in his direction a moment later, the answer seemed to be a definite yes.

And it was working.

 

–

 

Thor noticed Steve tilting his neck from side to side, before stretching his arms out, and he made a decision. He walked up behind Steve, his hands falling to the other man's shoulders. Thor didn't miss the slight shiver that went through Steve's body at his touch, and smiled to himself. “Stay still,” he instructed, his fingers beginning to work at the tight muscles of Steve's shoulders.

He was tense for a moment, and then with a sigh, Steve seemed to relax beneath the motions of Thor's hands, loosening up. “Thanks,” he said. “I think I slept strange, or something.”

Thor hummed in response, his eyes focused on the broad expanse of Steve's back. “That, or possibly too much crouching in these tiny showers?” Thor replied, and perhaps he was leaning in a little closer than necessary, letting his breath fan out against the back of Steve's neck. Another shiver rippled beneath Thor's fingers.

Steve laughed, the sound a little shaky, more a breath than Steve's usual laugh. “Yeah, maybe.”

Thor continued to work his fingers into Steve's skin, unwilling to stop even when he felt all the knots and tension having been worked away. Steve was practically clay in Thor's hands right now, fit to be moulded however he wished. He almost sighed himself at the thought.

“Are you working magic there or something?” Steve said, joking.

Chuckling, Thor answered, “perhaps something a little like that.” He allowed himself to indulge a few moments longer, enjoying the way that Steve seemed to be leaning back into his touch. “Better?”

Steve nodded. “Mm, much. Thanks.”

Regretfully, Thor stopped and stepped back. “Good. Shall we leave soon? We are visiting those intriguing caves today, are we not?”

When Steve turned to look at him, Thor was taken by the almost dazed look in his eyes, and watched as Steve seemed to mentally return himself back to the here and now. Was he so affected by Thor's touch alone? He hoped so.

“What? Oh, yeah, yeah we are. Let's head out, we can catch some breakfast on the way.”

“An excellent plan,” Thor agreed, smiling. Steve seemed almost dazed again, as he slowly smiled in return. As Thor's heart thudded inside his chest, he wondered if he too looked at all similar, struck as he was by Steve's smile; unguarded, genuine, and seemingly just for Thor.

 

–

 

Steve had trouble sleeping that night, he couldn't shake off the ghost of Thor's hands on him earlier. He felt a little like he was slowly coming undone, unravelling at every touch, smile, hint of more.

He wasn't surprised that they'd grown closer so far, just from the sheer fact of being on the road together, spending so much time just the two of them, bonding was kind of inevitable. But the way his blood seemed to ignite within his veins at Thor's nearness, the way his pulse pounded in sync with his racing heart at merely a glance from the god. Being in such close quarters was affecting Steve in a way he hadn't quite counted on.

With a grunt he rolled over onto his other side, almost falling out of the single bed in the process, and huffed out a soft breath. He opened his eyes, staring out into the fuzzy darkness of the room. If he was being entirely honest with himself – and God knows what o'clock seemed a good time for honesty – Steve had had these kind of thoughts even before this, hovering quietly at the back of his mind. This road trip had just allowed them to tread softly to the forefront of his mind, make themselves known.

 _'But what are you gonna do about it, Rogers?'_ he thought to himself. What indeed?

As his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, he realised he was now facing Thor, and could vaguely see the dark shadow that signified Thor's sleeping form.

By now, Steve was pretty certain that Thor held similar thoughts to himself. God, he hoped so, anyway, and that there wasn't some cultural thing on Thor's behalf that Steve didn't know about, because if this was happening with anyone else, Steve would know for certain that the touches and the flirting meant what he thought it meant.

Ah, he was so bad at this.

A part of him – a small part, admittedly – wondered vaguely if Steve really wanted everything that could come with the way he was feeling. The rest of him told that part to shut up, because it was painfully obvious that he did. These thoughts just continued to grow every new day they spent together, his feelings sealed the closer they grew to each other. Thor had been a good friend, at the start. He'd become a best friend to Steve over time. And then eventually, he'd realised he thought of Thor a little more than a best friend might, especially when Thor had left for Asgard for a time, not too long ago.

Thor had admitted to Steve that he'd missed him whilst he'd been away, and Steve had felt the same, only he hadn't realised it until Thor had returned. Until he'd seen the stack of postcards he'd collected for Thor's benefit, from his missions in other places. Until Natasha had asked him why he'd wanted her to get him postcards of European cities, as she went through them for her own missions.

“ _You have it bad, Rogers,”_ Natasha had teased him, when she'd realised herself. He'd denied it then, but it was pretty damn obvious by now. Even to Steve, who was terrible at this kind of thing.

He let out another huff and tried to will his mind to stop thinking, and to stop reliving the feel of Thor's hands on him, because he really wanted to get some sleep if he could. _'Yeah, right,'_ his mind seemed to scoff at the very idea.

Closing his eyes, Steve willed his thoughts away, instead focusing on counting each breath he took, hoping the monotony and lack of thoughts of Thor would help.

They did, eventually, but as he slept all he dreamt about was a piercing blue gaze, and the soft touch of large, familiar hands.

 

–

 

It had been a long day for them, a good day, but a long one, so Steve had been more than happy to let Thor choose the movie they watched that night, when they settled into their room. Their morning had started off by visiting a giant, metal construction of a dragon, that actually breathed fire from it's mouth after dropping a special token into it. Both Steve and Thor had been in parts amused and impressed by this man made behemoth.

After that they'd travelled a little ways off and gone hiking on a trail dubbed as 'the little grand canyon', an activity that they'd both enjoyed, it had been a beautiful trail, and they'd both stopped to take pictures when they'd reached a pretty little waterfall along the way. It had felt almost romantic, really, Steve had thought at the time, as they stood by the chattering waterfall, feeling like the only people in the world as they stood in the small clearing, the green of the forest sheltering them from the outside world. As they'd leant in close together, Thor taking their picture, Steve had felt an overwhelming urge to lean in and press a kiss to Thor's cheek. He'd resisted, only just, but his fingers had squeezed at Thor's waist, while they posed.

The exercise had done them both good though, as they were usually very active in their day to day life, and the unwinding afterwards was always a pleasure.

So as usual, once they'd made themselves comfortable (beds pushed together, again) they'd sat and watched some television. Thor had picked a musical, as he particularly enjoyed them, stating that the dramatic songs reminded him somewhat of home, and the great, sprawling stories they would tell on Asgard through ballads. Steve didn't mind in the least, because even if he wasn't a particular fan of something himself, he could always enjoy watching Thor enjoy something.

This musical in particular seemed to stir Thor's emotions, with the tale of the unfortunate hero having suffered unjust imprisonment, amongst other trials, throughout his life. He had raged at the unfairness of life, had looked saddened when poor innocents suffered and died, and looked stirred by the rousing revolution. Steve had watched more of Thor than he had of the movie himself, he realised.

And now they were nearing the end of the movie, it seemed, as the unfortunate hero looked old and unwell, and was singing a song of farewell with the ghosts of those he had known before. Steve's eyes moved back to Thor, who looked engrossed as he watched, and he wasn't surprised to see then there was a streak of wetness on Thor's cheeks. The singing grew, rousing, with the swell of the music accompanying it, and Steve felt his own emotions stirring with it.

The song ended, the scene faded, and Thor released a deep breath. After a few moments, Steve spoke up. “You okay?” he asked.

Thor turned to look at him, and his eyes still seemed to swim with tears. “What a heartbreaking story,” Thor said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “That was wondrous.”

 

Steve couldn't help but smile inwardly, because seeing Thor enjoy something, seeing how much emotion he held within him, never failed to make Steve smile. There was a twist within Steve however, at seeing the tear tracks on Thor's face, and he felt compelled to try and comfort him somehow.

Reaching out, Steve's hand found one of Thor's, and he gripped it tight, trying to offer some sense of comfort and care. Thor glanced down at their hands, before back up at Steve, their fingers threading together with such ease, as if this wasn't only the first time. Steve offered Thor a smile, and Thor smiled back, small, soft, but with all the warmth he possessed. Steve's heart stuttered.

“You are a good man, Steve,” Thor said eventually, his palm warm against Steve's own. “And a true friend.” His lips tilted a little at the corners, into the smile Steve recognised as Thor's joking look. “Offering me comfort in my time of distress, saddened as I am by the tragic outcome of this fictional story.”

Steve couldn't help but snort at that, at Thor poking fun of himself. “Hey, I'm not here to judge what reduces a god to tears. I'm here for you no matter what, buddy.”

“A true friend indeed.”

Despite the light, teasing tones they both spoke in, the joking nature of the moment, Thor's fingers still remained warm and comforting, solid, threaded between Steve's own.

 

–

 

A few days later, and Steve and Thor had moved onwards in their journey, having stopped in a large city for the next few days. They'd spent the day exploring the city, and now they were enjoying the evening in a bar they'd found, having themselves a couple of drinks. Steve knew the alcohol would do nothing for him or Thor, but he still enjoyed the habit, and just the act of sharing a drink or two with another person.

There was music playing, loud, mostly older rock tracks, Steve thought, though what was old to everyone else was usually new to Thor and himself. The atmosphere was good, there were even people having themselves a dance, in the empty space that served as a dance floor. The lights were low, and the bar itself was fairly full by this time of the evening. Thor and Steve had crammed themselves out of the way, seated on stools at one end of the bar.

Steve sipped at his drink, as Thor helped himself to a handful of peanuts from a small bowl between them.

“I am enjoying this trip of ours very much so far,” Thor said after swallowing his mouthful, talking loudly over the music so Steve could hear him.

Steve was pleased to hear this, because he was, too. It had felt like with every mile further they had driven, some weight had fallen from his shoulders, and he found a new reason to smile with each day. It was good, the best he'd felt in a long time. Steve blinked, and smiled across at Thor, “Me too,” he agreed. He'd be a little sad, he thought, when eventually their trip came to an end and they made it back home, back to their regular life and duties.

Picking up his glass, Steve took a deep drink from his beer; he wasn't going to think about that just yet.

It looked as if Thor was going to say something else, but Steve could see a distraction approaching, before Thor felt a tap on the shoulder by the woman who approached from behind him. She was beautiful, Steve noted awkwardly, as she began to engage Thor in conversation. He tried not to pay too much attention, though it was difficult with how close he and Thor had been sitting, and she was standing right next to Thor now.

Her hair was long and dark, and fell in a sheet across her shoulders and back, her pink lips moving as she spoke to Thor. Steve looked away, his fingers skittering idly across the sticky counter top of the bar.

Steve could hear as the woman asked if she could buy Thor a drink, sounding as confident as she looked, as if there was no doubt that Thor would say yes to her offer. He wished he was as confident about these things, he thought vaguely.

“I am most honoured by your offer,” Steve heard Thor saying, “but I am here to enjoy drinks with my good friend. I am afraid I must decline your most tempting offer.”

Steve glanced up, a little surprised, and saw the woman give Thor a shrug that seemed to say _your loss_. “If you change your mind later, come find me,” she said, offering Thor a smile, before walking away.

Steve's eyes followed her as she left, before glancing back at Thor, his hand moving now to pick up his drink. “Hey, don't say no on my account,” he said lightly, sipping from his beer.

Thor, body angled towards Steve, leaned in closer, his eyes fixed on Steve's face. His gaze flicked down to Steve's lips, briefly, and suddenly Steve's mouth felt dry.

“I said no on my account. I am otherwise engaged this evening.”

Steve, mouth still dry, took another sip from his beer, carefully weighing his words before he spoke. Of course, he was aware that the both of them were considered attractive looking men, and they'd received attention before now, though neither of them had engaged in anything further than a friendly chat or a few words. Steve knew why, when it came to himself.

He met Thor's gaze as he spoke. “I'm glad,” he admitted, attempting to take a leaf out of the woman's book of confidence. “I'd rather you stay here with me, anyway.”

Thor hummed in agreement, a sound that Steve could only just make out over the music. “As do I. Yours is the only company I desire tonight.”

There was a look of such intensity in Thor's face, and a heat in his gaze that made Steve's blood thrum. There was no doubt whatsoever, any more, Steve thought. The look in Thor's blue eyes burned away all doubt. He couldn't have been clearer unless he outright kissed Steve and... and Steve's thoughts faltered, his heart skipping as he imagined it for a moment.

Feeling a little desperate for some kind of lifeline as he attempted to navigate a situation he really wished he was better at dealing with, Steve drained the last of his drink; give him a good old fight any day, he thought.

Thor was leant so close towards Steve, he was sure he could feel the heat from Thor's body, imagined he could almost hear the unsteady pounding of Thor's heart, surely matching how his own was racing right now. His mind grasped for something, anything, to say in response, not wanting to look like some easily undone, unravelled teenager, or something equally embarrassing.

All that came out when Steve spoke was, “Aye.” He was ridiculous.

There was a rumble of laughter from Thor as his face broke out into a smile. Steve didn't miss the look on Thor's face that seemed to imply the other man knew exactly what it was he did to Steve.

“Let us have another drink then,” he proposed.

When the bartender slid new glasses full of beer in front of them, Thor raised his, and Steve picked his up in turn. “To good company,” Thor proposed, and Steve echoed the sentiment as they clinked glasses.

Thor's gaze never left Steve's face the entire time. He swallowed thickly, knowing he was going to have to make a move soon, or only start to drive himself further crazy with this ridiculous waiting.

When they left the bar later, the night had finally deepened, the light summer sky having given way to the fall of velvety darkness, broken in places by the glow of the city lights all around them. It was later than Steve had planned for, and as they stepped from the fuzzy warmth of the bar into the cooler warmth of the night air, Steve found himself wishing that alcohol did effect him, at least enough to give him the haze of false confidence.  
  
Instead they were both cheerful, but sober, and Steve would have to just suck it up. Thor's arm was slung around Steve's shoulders, a warm, welcome weight against him, and they continued to bump hips and shoulders with their nearness as they walked.

 _'Just do it, Rogers,'_ Steve thought to himself, as everywhere their bodies met, his skin was tingling, wishing, waiting for more. ' _What are you waiting for?'_

What indeed, Steve wondered, what indeed. And just like that, the decision was made, and he acted before he could think about it. He pulled Thor aside, along the side of the building, out of sight of anyone, and turned within his hold. Then Steve pressed a hand to the back of Thor's neck, pulling the other man down until their faces were close, and Steve took a deep breath before leaning up and pressing their lips together.

If Thor was surprised he gave no hint of it, and Steve rather thought the other man had been expecting it, as he returned the kiss straight away, his hands falling easily to rest on Steve's waist, angling their bodies close together.

He wasn't drunk at all, but Steve could almost believe he might have been, as the way Thor kissed him in return made his head spin and his body feel hot, made it all feel as if it wasn't quite real, a hazy blur to the edges of everything. And then Steve really, really wasn't thinking any more, as Thor's teeth nipped lightly at his lips, causing a shudder to shake its way down Steve's spine and the breath to hitch in his chest.

His hand slipped into Thor's hair, the strands soft between his fingers, and Steve felt himself sigh in satisfaction, leaning into the kiss, into Thor, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.

Steve deepened the kiss, mouth moving against Thor's, kissing him again and again, making up for every moment where he wanted to and held back. He felt Thor's hand, warm, pressed against the small of his back, and electricity raced through Steve's veins at that simple touch.

After a few moments, they broke apart from their heated kiss, their breathing heavy as they just stared at each other.

Thor's face broke out into a smile then, and laughter bubbled up and out of Steve, a giddy, elated, rush of laughter and joy. In the end it had been simple, and nothing had ever felt so right.

 

–

 

The walk back to the motel was almost painful for Steve, his blood thrumming with electricity, his nerves tingling all over and on edge, feeling a new rush of excitement every time he and Thor brushed against each other as they walked. Their motel wasn't far from the bar they had found, and the night air was warm and pleasant, but Steve could think of nothing but Thor, his entire being and body focused so clearly on Thor's nearness to himself.

He had never imagined he could feel so strongly for another person, not after... well. He was just surprised by the force of it all, the level of want and desire rising within him. It was as if he'd opened the floodgates, allowing himself to feel, to want, now he'd finally done something about it. He wondered if Thor's own thoughts were following down a similar path.

Steve thought he was relieved, when he finally pushed the door to their room open, and then he began to panic a little, internally. At the time, he hadn't really thought any further ahead than just finally, finally, kissing Thor, but he was so bad at this kind of thing (not inexperienced, just, unskilled in this particular field) and he wasn't sure what he was meant to do, or what Thor expected him to do. The kissing had been so easy, he hadn't considered after that.

He was still standing by the door, shut behind him now, as all these thoughts rushed through him, as Thor moved around the room, checking his cellphone briefly. When he turned back towards Steve, he looked at him for a long moment, an eyebrow raised, before a small, soft smile spread across his face.

“You need not worry, Steve,” Thor said, and the deep timbre of his voice was enough to help calm Steve. “You do not have to do anything you are uncomfortable doing. Perhaps we can play at cards?”

Steve looked at Thor, and it struck him now just how well the other man had to know him, to know what was going through Steve's head, and offer an alternative. How much Thor had learnt about him, all without Steve ever realising. It was this, more than anything else, that prompted Steve forward, and had him pulling Thor against him, kissing him deeply, saying all the words Steve could not quite manage to say just then.

And that was how they found themselves sometime later, lying close on their pushed-together beds, touching, talking softly, and sharing lingering kisses. Simply revelling in this new found thing growing between them, content to approach it gently tonight, to stay close and enjoy each other's company.

It felt so easy to Steve, now that he had crossed that distance, and yet he still found himself feeling a sense of awe, that he could run his fingers through Thor's hair, feel the strands fall softly against his palm, when the desire took him to. Or that Thor could lean in and press a kiss, quick but firm, to Steve's lips, just because he felt like it.

When he looked into Thor's face, Steve could see his own feelings, mirrored in the twinkling blue of Thor's eyes, and he felt his heart lurch. That was something Steve would take awhile to become used to, the idea that _he_ could make someone feel the way they made him feel. With the way Thor's hand lingered, as he trailed his fingers down Steve's arm, the way Thor's lips twitched up into the hint of a smile, Steve thought that the other man was going to make sure that he got used to that idea soon.

 

–

 

“Steve, wake up.”

Steve grumbled something in return, a sound that basically translated to _'I don't want to'._ He wasn't opposed to waking up – he already was, really – he just wasn't ready to leave the warm comfort of the bed, and Thor's arms, which were wrapped tightly around him. The sleeping arrangements were, quite honestly, a little uncomfortable, their room only contained two single beds so they'd still been pushing them together, but that couldn't really compare to the warmth of Thor's body around and against his own. Steve was basically putty in his arms right now, unwilling to move and end this.

There was a chuckle, the sound warm and low against his ear, sending a shiver of something else entirely through Steve at the sound of it, his skin prickling. “Whilst I understand your reluctance, I thought you wished to visit the park we had planned for today?”

That was true, the park they had read about boasted a beautiful little waterfall, and picnic spots to enjoy the views from. The weather was warm and bright, and Steve was itching to get outside and walk around, explore a little. But even then the thought wasn't quite as tempting as lying there with Thor.

Another low laugh, and it was as if Thor could read his mind, and was responding to Steve's thoughts. He felt Thor shift against him, their legs tangling briefly, as Thor leaned in, pressing his face against Steve's neck. His breath was warm as it shivered across Steve's skin, and he sighed softly as a moment later the soft press of Thor's lips followed. Steve wondered if he was actually melting in that moment, because he certainly felt as if he was.

The press of Thor's mouth was warm, but soft, small, chaste kisses, meant for affection, more than to entice Steve; still, he could feel his body beginning to awaken to those feathery kisses being spread against his skin. His fingers were gripping at Thor's waist. He wondered why Thor was doing this, because _this_ definitely wasn't going to make Steve want to leave now.

Another sigh escaped him, as Thor's lips trailed slowly up his neck. Then, Thor seemed to pause in his motions, and before Steve could say anything, he felt Thor's lips against him again, but this time he blew a large breath of air out in a massive raspberry, Steve's skin tingling and tickled, and Steve sat up, surprised. He glared down at Thor, one hand clasped against the wet spot on his neck now, only to be greeted by Thor's grinning face, looking immensely amused with himself.

“Now, will you get up?” Thor asked, laughter in his voice.

Steve couldn't keep up the act for long, there was something so undeniably adorable about the teasing look in Thor's face.

“You're a fiend,” Steve declared, which only made Thor laugh again. “Fine, fine, I'm getting up,” he said a moment later, pushing himself from the bed before gathering his things for a shower.

“You know,” Thor began, still laying in bed and looking incredibly comfortable, when Steve turned to look back at him. “We shall have to procure ourselves a room with a shower large enough to fit the both of us.”

There was an undeniable look on Thor's face as he gazed at Steve. As the implications – and the imaginings – filtered through Steve's brain, he found himself feeling suddenly hot. He mumbled something unintelligible, before walking into the bathroom. Just before he closed the door, Steve heard Thor call out, “and a large enough bed!”

 _'Yes, we will,'_ Steve thought to himself, in complete agreement, as he stepped into the shower, letting lukewarm water fall over him. _'Yes we will.'_

 

_-_

 

“This is truly wonderful, is it not?” Thor said, an arm slung casually over Steve's shoulder. He wasn't comfortable with displaying any more affection in public than what had been usual for them – though mostly Thor – before, but as the days had passed and they'd grown more comfortable in private, Steve found himself wishing he could curl up into that touch, lean into Thor's arm, as he would now if they were in private.

Instead, Steve replied, “Yeah, it is.”

The day was pretty much perfect, blue skies, a gentle breeze to temper the warmth in the air, the sound of water, falling over rocks and into a stream, the trees and life around them green and brilliant in the sunshine.

“I am pleased we have had the opportunity to go on this journey together,” Thor said, his voice a touch softer than usual, head tilted a little towards Steve's. “We have seen many interesting things your realm has to offer.”

Steve's lips quirked up into a smile; he couldn't help but wonder how very different Asgard must be from here, that Thor was finding these waterfalls and trips to place's dedicated to fictional character's births as wonderful. Not that Steve didn't also find the sight before them beautiful, because he did, and he was pleased to get an opportunity to see some of them for himself. Even so, Asgard must be a very different place.

When Thor pulled his arm away, only to loosely take Steve's hand instead, tugging him forward, he understood without Thor needing to say so that now it was picture time. A warmth rose within Steve as he followed Thor, a warmth of fondness and affection. Thor held his phone out as they posed, leaning close together to fit in, and Steve vividly recalled when they'd been on that hiking trail before, and how strong the urge to lean in and kiss Thor on the cheek had been, as they'd posed like this for a picture then.

There was no one about in that moment, and Steve figured if there was no one there to see and possibly recognise them, then why not use now as an opportunity to try and practice getting used to little bits of public affection. That, and he could see the wide, sun-beam bright smile on Thor's face when he glanced over, and like a moth to a flame, Steve could simply not resist.

Just as Thor took the picture, Steve gave in, and pressed a soft kiss to Thor's cheek. The phone had captured the moment, and the look on Thor's face had still been that bright, wide, smile, but when he turned to look at Steve a moment later, it was with an expression of surprise, before it softened into something more tender.

“What was that for?” Thor asked, and Steve suddenly felt a little embarrassed with himself.

He shrugged and stepped away. “I felt like it.” He turned to look back at Thor then, however, and shot him a bashful smile.

Thor's own widened in return. Anything, really, that brought that smile out was worth it, Steve thought.

 

–

 

Steve's phone buzzed as it received a message, then again, and a moment later, buzzed again. He glanced down quickly at his phone, as if that would give him any clues – it didn't. He was driving, they were making their way to their next town and their next stop, and he couldn't look at his phone just then.

“Hey, can you check my messages for me?” He asked, shooting Thor a glance. “It won't stop buzzing. I wonder what's going on?” He hoped there wasn't a problem, Steve wasn't ready to be pulled away from their trip yet, and back into the real world.

“You have two messages from Anthony, and one from Natasha,” Thor said.

“Huh. It can't be urgent, or they'd have called or messaged you as well. I wonder what's going on,” he said again, and this time when he shot another glance over at Thor, he noticed the other man looked a little uncomfortable. What _was_ going on?

“Have they messaged you too?” Steve asked.

Thor sighed. “I believe I know why they are messaging you so right now.”

“Go on,” Steve prompted, his curiosity strong now.

From the edge of his vision, Steve could see Thor turn to face him as he spoke. “I'm afraid I may have done something that will anger you, or make you uncomfortable. It was an accident, and I am sorry for it.”

“Thor, do I need to be worried?”

Another sigh. “I was sending Natasha some picture messages, as she had enquired via text about how our journey is faring, and I wished to show her some of the sights. One of the pictures I sent her, by accident, was the photograph we took yesterday, at the waterfall.”

Steve's heart dropped a little. Then he reasoned with himself that it was only Natasha, so even if he wasn't ready to quite tell anyone else about Thor and himself yet, Natasha was the most likely to figure it out on her own anyway when they got back. Natasha knowing wasn't too bad.

He opened his mouth, glanced at Thor briefly, to tell him that it was okay, when the look of utter guilt on Thor's face made him close his mouth again. Because then Steve remembered, the other messages on his phone had been from Tony. Steve sucked in a sharp breath.

“I believe Anthony must have seen the picture in question. I'm sorry, Steve,” Thor said, sounding unhappy.

Well, it wasn't ideal, Steve thought, he definitely wasn't ready for Tony – and everyone else – to know about this, but there wasn't anything to be done about it now. Hopefully, by the time they returned, it would be old news and the teasing would be minimal.

Oh, who was he kidding, that wasn't likely at all. Steve mentally squared his shoulders, reminding himself that he was Captain America, he'd fought in wars, against aliens, he could deal with a little teasing about his relationship.

When he glanced over at Thor again, he still looked unhappy. Steve threw him a quick smile. “Hey, don't worry about it,” he said. “They were gonna have to know about it eventually. Maybe a little sooner than I would have liked,” he added, gently, “but it's okay. We'll deal with it.”

“Never fear, Steve, if Anthony causes you trouble, I shall deal with him.”

“Uh, how so?” Steve asked, wondering if he should worry.

He couldn't see it, but he could hear the smile in Thor's voice as he answered. “Oh, merely place _Mj_ _ö_ _lnir_ on top of him, until he agrees to say no more about the matter.”

Steve couldn't help but laugh at the image this conjured up, and Thor soon joined in. He had to admit, it was not a bad idea.

 

-

 

“I know it is unconventional, as we are already on a trip together,” Thor began, looking at Steve earnestly, “although I could not have predicted this new development to our relationship. Even so, I would very much like-”

“Yes,” Steve interrupted, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips, “we can go on a date.”

Thor stared, mouth still open in his surprise, wondering briefly if Steve had somehow developed the power to read minds. Then the words Steve had actually said caught up with him, and Thor beamed, a bright, warm smile of joy. It mattered little to him if Steve could read minds just then. “Wonderful. That makes me happy to hear.”

Reaching out, Steve took hold of Thor's wrist, and pulled them both down onto the couch – the small couch, once the both of them were sat on it. They were definitely going to have to book themselves into a nicer, larger, room sometime soon, Thor reminded himself. With all the easy grace of a motion Thor had done a thousand times, he slipped an arm around Steve's shoulder, thrilling at where their bodies met and touched.

“What were you thinking of doing?” Steve asked, and Thor thought the other man's voice sounded just a touch unsteadier than usual.

Thor turned his head and leant in close to Steve. If it was unsettling the captain half as much as it was himself, then he was doing well. “I have attempted to research how mortals court each other, and also thought about an activity we both might enjoy, but is not part of our plans already. I was thinking perhaps we could go bowling?” Thor trailed his fingers, just the lightest of touches, over the bare skin of Steve's upper arm. Thor heard him pull in a quick breath.

“Y-yeah, that sounds fun.”

That pleased Thor. He had hoped to find something they could both enjoy, but that would not come across too overtly as a date, as neither of them wished to make this public just yet.

“Good. I shall pick you up at six, then, please do not be late.” His chuckle at his own joke was lost, when suddenly Steve pulled Thor down for a long, lingering kiss, the kind of kiss that sent shivers down Thor's spine.

When eventually Steve pulled back, cheeks flushed and breath a little faster, there was a slight smile on his face. “I won't be late if you're not.”

There was an answering rumble from Thor, a yelp from Steve, as he was all but tackled against the couch.

They were not late for their date, just, although with how they spent the time before it, Thor would not have minded too much if they had been, as it had been a most... enjoyable afternoon. Thor couldn't quite wipe the pleased grin from his face even when they left their motel room, until Steve elbowed him in the side and told him to stop looking so smug. Thor had simply aimed his smile at Steve, uttering the challenge, “make me.”

“Just you wait til later,” Steve had muttered back, and Thor had appreciated the rosy flush of colour that spread across the back of Steve's neck, and entertained thoughts of kissing that particular spot later, when they were alone.

They enjoyed their date, however – although Thor did not enjoy the strange shoes they were made to wear. Both of them started out weakly, holding back, testing their strength; Thor did not wish to smash any holes into the walls or the floor. Eventually they got into the swing of it, and after two games of being neck and neck with each other, it was Steve who ultimately won, much to Thor's disappointment.

Although some dinner, followed by some cake, did much to cheer Thor up.

Their spirits were high, when they made their way back to their room later that night. And having to appear as simply friends all night seemed to have gotten to the both of them, because as soon as Thor closed the door behind them, Steve was pushing him back up against that very same door, a leg wedged between Thor's thighs, his mouth hot against Thor's, as he kissed him deeply.

Thor responded in kind, hands falling to grip at Steve's waist, his teeth nipping at Steve's lips, drawing a gasp of air from the other man. Their movement across the room was lost on Thor, all he knew was Steve, skin flushed and warm beneath the press of Thor's fingers, lips sending shocks of electricity through his nerves with every touch, body hard and firm as he pressed against Thor. His mind was practically drowning in all this _Steve_ , that Thor knew little else in the moment.

In a blur of touches and kisses, they found their way to one of the beds, both now short of some clothing. Thor felt Steve's weight settle on top of him, body pressing into his own, and his heart stuttered inside his chest, his skin feeling hot, flaming at every point their bodies met. Steve ducked his head, and Thor gasped a moment later, back arching, as Steve dragged his tongue slowly over one of Thor's nipples.

Thor shifted, planning to roll them over, but forgot how small a single bed was, and moments later found himself lying on the floor. He blinked, his mind trying to catch up with the now, as moments ago he had been thoroughly enjoying Steve's lips all over his body.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked, appearing over the edge of the bed, the look on his face a mix between concerned and amused.

“I am quite well, thank you,” Thor replied, trying to remain dignified. It didn't last for long, however, because in a moment laughter was bubbling up and out of Steve, and Thor couldn't help but join him, the sound of it was as birdsong, a sound to uplift the spirits. That, and Thor had to admit, it probably did look amusing from another's perspective. They really did need to get a room with a bigger bed, though.

“Come,” Thor said, reaching up towards Steve. “Join me.” Before Steve could protest, Thor had pulled the other man onto the floor with him, and their laughter was contagious.

Until Thor eventually kissed the smile from Steve's face, replacing the laughter with other wonderful sounds.

 

–

 

“You know, there are many new experiences I have encountered during this quest of ours,” Thor said, his chin coming to rest on Steve's shoulder, “and of all those new experiences, there is only one which I have not enjoyed.”

“Oh?” Steve asked, curious. He was trying to fold and pack his clothes, ready for tomorrow, but the additional weight of Thor's arms sliding around his waist, and the warmth of Thor's breath against his neck as he spoke, was enough to make Steve pause, not only because his movements were now restricted.

“Yes. My least favourite part of our journey has been the laundromat.” Thor said this so seriously, with a note of displeasure in his voice, Steve couldn't help but laugh.

“What did laundromats do to offend you?” He asked, his hands coming to settle over Thor's. He could feel the other man nuzzle into the crook of his neck, his beard tickling against Steve's skin, and Steve could all but feel himself melt against the firm body behind him. Slipping into this casual affection had been easier than Steve had expected, largely due to Thor being so touchy, he thought. But he liked it, he liked it very much.

Sometimes, Steve thought that Thor must be like the sun, with his warmth and his light shining down on Steve, drawing him in, because Steve always felt warm, felt a smile form on his face, whenever Thor was near. Felt his heart flutter and rise just at the thought of Thor. Steve had never quite felt anything like this before, the certainty, the security in himself and in Thor. The simple joy at just being around each other.

“Hm, what was that?” Steve asked, not having heard Thor's answer.

“They simply bore me,” Thor grumbled, his voice a low murmur against the skin of Steve's neck, sending a shiver coursing through his body.

Steve laughed, finding the idea both ridiculous and endearing; the god of thunder hated doing laundry. “I'm afraid they're a necessary evil. You'll have to put up with them for the sake of clean clothes.” He felt Thor's arms tighten around his waist briefly, felt a kiss pressed against his neck, before Thor huffed a sigh.

“Speaking of clean, I'm gonna go shower,” Steve said, though he most definitely regretted the loss of Thor's warmth as he stepped away.

When he was done, all clean and dry, Steve pulled on a shirt, and went back out into their room. Thor, sitting on his bed, turned to look at him, and smiled as soon as he saw Steve. Perplexed, he asked, “What is it?”

“That shirt,” Thor answered, still smiling. “You kept it.”

Looking down at himself, Steve saw that he was wearing the _I heart Ohio_ t-shirt Thor had bought for him as a gift, what seemed so long ago now at the beginning of their trip. Steve had wondered why it felt so tight when he'd put it on. “Well, yeah. You bought it for me,” Steve said, feeling a little embarrassed. “It's a souvenir. Why wouldn't I keep it?”

Pushing himself up from the bed, Thor crossed the room and came over to Steve, eyes on him the entire time, and Steve could feel that look of Thor's go through him like a bolt of electricity. “I'm touched,” Thor murmured, his voice dropping to that tone that just did things to Steve that he had no words to describe. Thor stopped close. “As much as I like to see you wear it, I am afraid I'm going to remove it now.”

Steve's eyes met Thor's gaze, felt those blue eyes burning into his own; his mouth went dry, and he licked his lips before speaking. “Well, if you must,” he answered, not even trying to pretend to sound disappointed.

There was a low rumble of laughter from Thor, as hands tugged the shirt off and over Steve's head, and arms encircled him, pulling him close. Yes, Steve was most definitely enjoying this part of their relationship.

 

–

 

They were nearing their final, planned destination, and the end of their vacation. Their last stop was in Utah, there was a large rock formation there named after Thor's hammer, so of course Thor wanted to go see it for himself. “It is only polite, after all, as they have named it for _Mj_ _öl_ _nir_ ,” he'd said.

They'd spent yesterday hiking through the Maroon Bells, a giant lake encircled by two snow-topped mountains, a true sight to behold, Steve had thought. They'd enjoyed the climbing, the walking, the warm air and the beautiful scenery on offer to them; Steve had never felt closer to himself, more human, than he had then, standing on a rocky slope beside Thor, gazing at the nature surrounding them. He'd never felt further from what had become his life, and he liked it, that moment of only being Steve Rogers, and nothing else mattered.

The photographs they'd taken hadn't done it justice, but Steve knew he would always remember that feeling.

“A most humbling sight, is it not?” Thor had said, standing close beside Steve. “When you can truly see what nature is capable of creating without interference.” Just like that, Thor had voiced the thoughts roaming Steve's mind, and the understanding that the god of thunder had for Steve seemed still to surprise him at times.

Now they were driving, on their way to Utah. Steve was a little surprised, but pleased, at how little trouble they'd managed to get into, during their trek across the country. They'd only been recognised a couple of times, and only shown up on the news once, which was a relief to Steve.

Technically, it had only been _him_ that was recognised that time, someone seemed to have spotted Steve filling up the car at a gas station, and Thor had been in the convenience store buying some snacks. They'd found out later, when Tony had texted Steve the link to the article in question, some ridiculous headline that sounded shocked Captain America himself was pumping his own petrol. It had gone on to wonder what Captain America was doing, out of uniform and in Colorado, questioning if he was alone or with someone else. A romantic getaway had been heavily implied, even though whoever had snapped the picture on their cellphone and spread it around hadn't waited to see Thor come back; not that they would have seen anything romantic, just Thor proudly brandishing his array of colourful snacks and candy to Steve.

That was harmless, though, and if that was going to be the extent of people recognising them, then Steve was fine with it. He'd been surprised people hadn't recognised Thor more often, because even in jeans and t-shirts he still looked like a god, to Steve at least. He figured it was mostly due to them sticking to smaller towns, and people not expecting to see Captain America and Thor, god of thunder, out and about as they were. If the best anyone could manage was _'Captain America Pumps His Own Gas?'_   then Steve was not too concerned.

 

–

 

It was as if they were standing in the centre of a forest made of stone – oddly shaped stones – and Steve found himself completely captivated by the sight before him; he'd never seen anything quite like it. And there, in the middle, apart from the rest stood the tall, impressive rock formation called Thor's Hammer. In this stone forest, with all the strange beauty of nature around them, the world had narrowed down to just himself and Thor, and everything else was inconsequential.

“I am honoured that people thought to name this impressive feat of nature after myself and _Mj_ _ö_ _lnir._ ”

Looking over at him, Steve shook his head in wonder. “I can't believe I'm standing here, next to the man that this is named for, a man from thousand year old mythology.”

Thor chuckled. “It is a strange situation to be met with, I am sure.”

“Strange is the least of it, I'd say.”

“And yet, I also find myself standing here, beside a man who was a legend from a time many decades ago.”  
  
When Steve looked over, he found himself meeting Thor's eyes, and couldn't help his lips turning up into a half smile. “Almost a fair point,” he conceded, knowing that his own case was strange in its ways too. “Still, it's a lot for a guy to wrap his head around, you know?”

Thor nodded. “Aye, there are many things, in all the realms, that one struggles to comprehend.”

It was good, Steve thought, knowing that Thor could understand a lot of what he felt, what he struggled to understand himself. It was one of the things that had brought them together as friends in the beginning, Steve had always thought, going beyond simply working together. They could relate to each other, about being out of time and out of place in this world, about being much older than their teammates (even if Steve didn't – couldn't – feel all those 95 years), about those they loved becoming the enemy. Steve felt better, knowing that he wasn't entirely alone in some of these experiences. He hoped that Thor felt the same comfort from himself.

He turned his face back towards the stone pillars, the sun's rays bathing the entire canyon in all its golden glory, and he was glad that they'd had the chance to come here.

Reaching out, Steve took hold of Thor's hand, entwining their fingers together, and they stood there together in silence, feeling the strength in each other's hold.  
  
  
–

 

That evening found them both outside, not for the first time during this trip, and it was something Steve found himself enjoying doing with Thor, sitting outside in the evenings, beneath the blanket of sky and stars, and just talking. The night air was warm around them, as was Thor's arm around his shoulders. He hoped this was something they could still take time out to enjoy doing, once they were back at the tower, and back into what counted as their normal life. A thought struck him.

“What happens, when we get back?” His voice was quiet, hushed, like the air around them on this still, silent night.

Thor was silent a moment, before turning to look at Steve, a slight frown on his face. “What do you mean?”

“I mean...with us. With this?” Steve wasn't quite sure where his thoughts were heading, or what he was trying to say, but he knew they would be starting their journey back home tomorrow.

The frown was still on Thor's face. “We continue as we have been, and more, over time. Our friends are already aware of the change to our relationship. Nothing need change, I thought. Is something troubling you, Steve?”

“No, not really,” Steve said, meeting Thor's eyes. And he wasn't troubled, not really. “It's just, everything that's happened between us has happened while we've been away, on our own. I'm not sure how that fits into life back at the tower, and doing our jobs.”

Thor shifted, turning more towards Steve, careless now of any affection he was displaying, it was dark and they were quite alone. With his free hand, Thor reached down and took hold of Steve's, holding it lightly.

“You cannot think that these feelings have simply developed because of this trip together. I have a pile of posting cards in my rooms that would attest otherwise.” There was a hint of a smile on Thor's face at the mention of the postcards, but his voice was earnest as he spoke. “As for myself, I told you some time ago, that I had missed you whilst I was away. These feelings are not limited to our time away together.”

Leaning in, Thor pressed a light kiss to Steve's cheek, and smiled at him. “We will figure out how we fit back into our usual lives.”

Steve could feel his heart constrict at Thor's words, at the sentiment behind them, and found himself sharing in Thor's belief. They were both grown men, both feeling a duty to protect and help this world, and both, it seemed, willing to work on this, this feeling growing between them more everyday. Perhaps they had been on this course all along, from the moment they'd become friends.

It was then, with Thor smiling softly at him, Thor's hand warm and firm in his own, that Steve knew, and was certain. “We will,” he agreed, returning Thor's smile.  
  
Later that night, back in their room, the heat of Thor's body pressed against him, within him, and Steve found himself gasping for breath, his fingers clutching tightly at Thor's back, his body moving to match the rhythm Thor had set. They moved in time with the pounding of Steve's heart, and it seemed to him, his thoughts as disconnected as his breaths, that every part of Steve moved in time with Thor. In that moment, with Thor against him, holding him close, Steve's very heart seemed to beat for this man, the echo of Thor's name behind every beat.

He heard Thor gasping his name, his voice a low shudder against Steve's skin, and the sound of it was the undoing of him.

As they lay there after, limbs entangled, sharing sweet, lazy kisses, Steve felt that in Thor he seemed to have found someone who so clearly felt the same as Steve did. Thor made it clear every time he looked at Steve, when he touched him, kissed him, listened to him speak.

As he listened to the now steady beat of Thor's heart, Steve fancied he could hear it thumping out the syllables of his own name.

 

–

 

They had been talking that very morning, Steve suggesting that maybe, since the rest of the team were still doing fine without them, they could continue and just drive on through to California, find some things to do along the way. That was when Steve should have known he'd jinxed them both.

It was when they were all packed and ready to leave that Steve's phone buzzed in one of his pockets. Pulling it out, he saw the caller was Natasha, and he knew before even answering; he'd only received text messages from anyone since he'd left. “What's happened?” He asked, without any preamble.

“Oh hey, nice to hear from you too,” came Natasha's voice, Steve could hear the joke beneath the dryness.

“Alright. Hi, I missed you too. Now, can you tell me what's going on?”

Sounding more serious, Natasha answered, “We're sorry to interrupt you guys early and all, but we kind of need you here. We think it's aliens.”

Thor came out of the bathroom, and looked at Steve quizzically, seeing that he was on the phone. Steve mouthed Natasha's name and made a face, and Thor nodded in understanding.

“You think?” Steve asked. “Well that fills me with confidence.”

“Ha ha. Anyway, we need you both. Where are you guys right now? I'm coming to get you.” Steve gave her their location, and after sorting out the details, hung up, before turning to Thor.

At the look on Steve's face, Thor moved forward, pulling Steve into his arms. “We shall visit California another time. Other than that, I would say our quest was most successful, would you not?”

There was a definite look of disappointment on Thor's face, to match what Steve was feeling. He knew it could have happened at any time, and really they were lucky to have gotten as far across the country as they had. And they'd had a good time, a great time. They'd come so far, since first starting out on the road, weeks ago now.  
  
“A rousing success,” he agreed, meeting Thor's gaze.

They were still, and quiet, just enjoying the moment together, before Thor spoke, bringing Steve back to the now. “What is it we shall face this time?” He asked.

“Natasha thinks aliens.”

Thor raised an eyebrow, and Steve couldn't help but laugh. “I know, that's what I said, too. She'll be here in a few hours, and then I guess we'll see what's going on.”

“Aye. Well, a few hours is enough time.”

“Enough time for what?”

Thor's face transformed, as his wide, bright smile spread across it, filling Steve with its warmth. “Why, to spend with you, of course, before we must save the world.”

Reaching up, Steve ran his fingers through Thor's hair, feeling so much in this moment that he could hardly even think on it, let alone try to put it into words. So he didn't, because from all that he'd seen and felt so far, he knew that Thor would understand what Steve meant without words.

Pressing a hand to Thor's cheek, Steve drew him down for a kiss, their lips moving together in practised synchronicity. It was a long, lingering kiss, the kind that had Steve shivering from head to toe, his blood coursing with electricity through his veins, his heart racing for freedom with its furious pounding, as Thor kissed him back with equal intensity.

Between the touch of their lips, and the beating of their hearts, were all the words Steve would ever need.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much to anyone who got to the end and read this entire thing! I just want to add that I'm not American, my knowledge of the US is limited, so I did a lot of research and planning for Thor and Steve's road trip, and I hope I didn't make too many mistakes! Thanks again for reading!


End file.
